View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does yage stimulate?

2. What drug does Bill turn to after he quits junk?

3. To whom is Burroughs letter written?

4. Who appears at Bill's apartment?

5. For what did Lupita try to use drugs?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the purpose of what seems an irrelevant segment?

2. How is drink affecting Bill in a bad way in Segment 10?

3. Of what do appendices 4, 5, 6 and 7 consist?

4. How does the government help Bill and Old Ike continue their habits?

5. What is Bill's situation by the end of this segment?

6. What is yage?

7. What is Bill's wife's main complaint about his habit?

8. Why does Bill decide to flee to Mexico?

9. Summarize the novel.

10. How does Rollins help Bill make a recovery from drugs and alcohol?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pick a character from the novel and discuss his/her goals and motives. Does he/she achieve his/her motive? Does he/she share similar goals and motives with other characters? Does his/her goals clash with other characters? How do the characters' goals and motives affect his/her interactions with each other?

Essay Topic 2

Examine Burroughs' writing style. How would you describe Burroughs' prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? Does he use any specific writing techniques? What meaning does Burroughs' style give to the story?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss differences between the novel and autobiography formats. What are the main elements of a novel? What are the main elements of an autobiography? What can novelists express that an autobiographer cannot? How can autobiographies keep to the facts while still maintaining a level of entertainment?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 684 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample